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Night Canopy began with the songs of Seattle chanteuse Amy Blaschke. Then former Pretty Girls Make Graves member Nick DeWitt stepped in, and together, they took the band to a whole other place. Elements such as ambient sounds—chain saws, birds, and waves—and drum-machine backbeats added layers through which strands of nature, nurture, love, and loss weave themselves. Beefing up the basics is great, but recent live shows have debuted newer material that highlights Blaschke's songwriting prowess with less frills, proving that their music is like a Kobe burger: delicious dressed up, but good enough to stand alone. Wells Fargo Stage. 3–4 p.m.
Viva Voce's two sole members, Kevin and Anita Robinson, have been married for more than 10 years. In this day and age, even a decade is a major milestone—and in this case, a testament to the chemistry this Portland duo has. It shows onstage. Kevin looks on admiringly from his stints behind the drum kit and guitar as Anita wails on her whammy bar, noodling up the neck like not many can. Sonny and Cher could have learned something from this union: Viva Voce bring it with anthemic, riff-heavy songs and a whole lot less pretense. Like track seven on Get Yr Blood Sucked Out says, "We Do Not Fuck Around." They may not, but they sure as hell make beautiful music together. Sound Transit Stage. 4–5 p.m.
So, their frontman, Robin, is the little brother of our clubs editor, Aja Pecknold. So what? The Fleet Foxes are a remarkable group, and you don't need us to tell you that; they have been praised in basically every local publication since they self-released their EP more than a year ago. What's not to love? They play a laid-back, pastoral indie pop that's informed by '70s rock, surf guitar, and Americana, stuff that's tailor-made for long, winding drives along the coast. Brother Pecknold has a voice laced with gold and an inherent sense of melody. It's chill-out music of the highest order. Expect big things from them in the near future. EMP Sky Church. 6:15–7:15 p.m.
You have to love Steve Earle. You just do. If he were to have quit (or died) right after his debut, Guitar Town, his place in country music history would have been sealed. But he's kept on churning out album after album of crunchy country-rock. A mix of Springsteen, Dylan, Hank Williams, and (gulp) Abbie Hoffman rolled into one, Earle has become a hero to the NPR-lovin' roots crowd. His new record, Washington Square Serenade, will be released later this month, so this is your chance to hear some new material. Bootleggers, you didn't hear this from us. Starbucks Stage. 8:30–10 p.m.